Experiences with Estradiol Compound and/or Versabase Cream
Posted , 5 users are following.
As I posted on another thread, my burning has subsided (nearly two days) when I discontinued all creams and ointments and have been using chlorine free toilet paper.
I just picked up my compound estradiol and I'm afraid to use it! I applied some to the crease by my elbow and it seems to be burning unless it is my imagination.
The directions say to apply 0.5 gm every night at bedtime for 4 weeks, then apply 0.5 gm 2-3 times weekly thereafter. I received 16 grams in total and it expires on August 30th. I thought I would wait a week before I start using it, but then it will expire soon after. The compound contains estradiol 0.01% in vaginal versabase cream. I asked the pharmacist what ingredients were in the versabase and she said aloe among others. When I worked at a hospital, I used a hand cream that they gave to patients and it burned my hands so much and turned them red. I had to wash it off with soap and water. Hence, my hesitance to use this.
I asked the pharmacist if they ever made the compound with estriol and she said they did but my doctor ordered estradiol. I paid 45.00 for 16 grams which is a one month supply if I am figuring this correctly.
Does anyone have experience with either an estradiol coumpound and/or Versabase cream?
0 likes, 19 replies
beverly52803 lorrie70
Posted
Hi lorrie, it's me from the other thread. My tube of the compounded estradiol is .015 in 30 grams. Can't remember if I paid $78 or $88. Just remember that if I had filled the Estrace prescription the cost would have been $300 for the tube.
If you know you have a reaction to aloe it seems foolhardy to use it without discussing the situation with your doctor. If he/she knows the problems you've been having it seems the doctor should have taken this into consideration. Do you have a regular gynecologist?
lorrie70 beverly52803
Posted
Beverly,
Yes, I do have a pelvic pain gynecologist now. He is the one who prescribed the compound. How many grams a day do you use and I forgot if you use it internally or externally. Please refresh my memory (what little I have left) and tell me if you are still using it, did it burn, what is the dosage and is your dosage less than mine, The compound I placed on the inside of my elbow burned for about an hour and then it stopped. I still don't want to try this for a couple of days because I want to enjoy being pain free!
beverly52803 lorrie70
Posted
Lorrie, if it burned your arm how could it not burn your more sensitive areas? I surely would not apply it to my vaginal area. Tell your doc what happened on your arm.
I squeeze a "pea size" amount of the estradiol cream onto my finger and apply to the vag opening as instructed. Don't know what that would be in an official dosage. I used it nightly for about 6 weeks, then it started to cause burning, Waited a few days to see if it would stop and it did. Called the doctor and was told to use it twice a week. So far I am tolerating that. Continuing to use steroid cream nightly and coconut oil maybe 4-5 times a week. I don't use it when I am applying the estradiol cream. Doc said it was fine to use it every night, but it gets to be a bit much.
lorrie70 beverly52803
Posted
Beverly,
The dr. said to apply the cream on the entire vulva (didn't mention urethra). If the external parts burn, would placing the compound in the vag opening heal the exterior area? I wish he would have been more specific. I don't want to call there again, for I called the office at least three times, went in twice and called him after hours.
beverly52803 lorrie70
Posted
I would follow the doctor's instructions. But I would also call the doctor and tell him that it burned your arm when you tried it there. Why be concerned about calling the office? You have a legitimate problem, a legitimate question and apparently an unusual sensitivity. When I call it's the nurse I speak with. If she can't answer the question she conveys it to the doctor and the nurse calls me back with the answer.
Don't get caught up in feeling you are being a nuisance. You are their patient and it is their job to take care of you.
In my case I am using the steroid cream (for LS) in an outer figure 8 pattern. The estradiol is applied at the vag opening. The chilled coconut oil is inserted as a vaginal suppository.
lorrie70 beverly52803
Posted
Beverly,
I'm going to use a tiny bit on a section where I usually don't have extreme burning. If it burns at all, I will call the dr. Thanks.
Hijadeonagro lorrie70
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lorrie70 Hijadeonagro
Posted
I would like to use the vaginal pills, but my insurance doesn't cover them. I checked retail prices and the price is astronomical. Thanks!
jude84900 lorrie70
Posted
Hi lorrie70,
They do make a compounded combination of estriol and estrodial it is called "biest" its a 50-50 mix of each of those estrogen. I've been using this compounded cream for almost three years with no problem whatsoever. It is made to apply on the labia daily. My cream is in the verabase also. I really like the cream. I am also on compounded testosterone cream that I apply to the labia daily too with no issues, only positives. I am on 2mg/ 1ml daily of each of those estrogens.
lorrie70 jude84900
Posted
Hi, Jude,
I don't know if I am sensitive to the estrogen or the base. Estrace contained alcohol and I am thinking that is why it burned so much. I am going to check into "biest" if this compound burns. I'm chicken to try it tonight being I have had two days of non-burning. Thanks!
jude84900 lorrie70
Posted
A compounding pharmacy should be able to use a different base for your hormone cream. Just a thought but maybe adding the estriol cream with it might make a big difference too.
lorrie70 jude84900
Posted
Jude,
My pelvic pain doctor is new to my area. He thought the compounding pharmacy would give me samples of different bases to try. When I called, they said they only compound estrogen with versabase. My armed stopped burning after an hour so I will give it a shot. Maybe I will try it by the weekend. The pharmacy is holding classes pertaining to estrogen compounds. I would like to go, but it's in the evening and in another city and I can't see well when it gets dark. I think they should have all gynecologists attend the lecture.
beverly52803 lorrie70
Posted
lorrie, maybe there's a compounding pharmacy out of town that has different bases that could mail the medication to you. Have you looked into that? The idea of putting the cream that burns your arm (not a problem area) on a problem area sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. If you keep using things that irritate you you are going to have a perpetually irritated area and never get to heal or correct the original problem. It seems a dermatologist would know the most about that.
Sorry, I can't remember your original problem. Was it UTI's?
lorrie70 beverly52803
Posted
Beverly,
I haven't tried the cream vaginally yet. If I have a problem, I planned to call the doctor to see if there was another pharmacy he knew of that could send me samples. I went to a dermatologist and all she said was that I have irritation and told me to use Hydrocortisone 1% ointment. At times it helped; at times it made the burning worse. These last 2.5 days have been the best days since last November and I'm not using anything! I stopped all creams and ointments and began using chlorine free toilet paper.
My problem began when I had IV antibiotics for pneumonia last November. I ended up with both a yeast and bacterial infection from the antibiotics. I used two Monistat, two terconazol and one metrogel and I had severe burning. Then, my former gynecologist told me t use Replens which made it even worse.
I did have a UTI several months ago and had to take antibiotics again. I can't take diflucan because I'm on amiodarone and it is contraindicated. I dread taking another antibiotic because I don't know what I will take for a yeast infection which I always get from antibiotics.
I have to gain courage to try this compound being I am feeling so good right now!
beverly52803 lorrie70
Posted
Lorrie, I read about certain probiotics for vaginal health this morning. As kefir, which is full of live probiotics works really well for my digestion, I wanted to see what works for vaginal issues. Think it was an NIH study. As I am still having an occasional twinge I want to avoid another round of flagyl if I can; would rather build up the good stuff than keep killing the bad if possible. Will start taking those. The study said women inserted the capsules vaginally, but I think I will start by taking them orally.
Has any doctor talked to you about building up what has been killed off as a result of the antibiotics? Have you ever considered that approach? It just sounds as though your body has been thrown way off and needs to gain equilibrium somehow.
A friend of mine got C-diff from taking antibiotics for extensive dental work. She got terribly ill, was hospitalized and did not get well until she was given a fecal transplant, which simply means repopulating her intestines with good bacteria. She's absolutely fine now, but she had been in such terrible shape her husband thought she might die.
lorrie70 beverly52803
Posted
Beverly,
I just saw an ad on TV about probiotics for vaginal and intestinal health. My oncologist recommended I take probiotics due to my immune system being lowered and I catch everything in sight. I did try taking a low dose and I ended up having to go to the bathroom several times a day so I stopped. Bad enough I have to pee twenty times a day! I was really concerned that I had C-diff and so were the doctors at the hospital because I had diarrhea along with the pneumonia. Fortunately, I did not.
There is another forum member on another thread that has recommended kefir to me for IBS. I am going to try it. I know that Culturelle makes different types of probiotics and I recently saw one for vaginal health.
lorrie70 beverly52803
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beverly52803 lorrie70
Posted
Can you make sense of this? There are many posts with brand names. I find this to be very inconsistent and frustrating. You seem to be on the moderator's list now. I have been in the past. If you were trying to respond to me why not send it in a PM (the envelope).
lorrie70 beverly52803
Posted